Shell Oil Spill Allegedly Leaves Bayelsa Community Struggling with Severe Water Crisis

The people of Obololi Community in the Tarakiri clan of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in Bayelsa State are appealing for portable water and food to enable them to survive the current oil industry induced environmental degradation.

The community claims their current deprivation occurred after a crude oil spill from Shell which they allege have polluted their rivers and sources of drinking water.

EDEN disclosed that it received information about the spill in the early hours of Wednesday, February 19, 2025, from the Special Assistant on Oil and Gas to the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area Chairman, Mr. Stephen Timifa Leghemo. Mr. Leghemo led a team from the local government to assess the impact of the spill on the affected community.

A field monitoring team from EDEN, led by its Deputy Executive Director, Alagoa Morris, promptly visited the site and confirmed that the spill was due to equipment failure. Despite containment efforts, with booms placed at two points on the river, crude oil had already spread over 1.5 kilometers beyond the initial spill location, contaminating the entire stretch of the community.

The environmental impact was severe, with riverbanks heavily coated in crude oil, affecting both vegetation and aquatic life. Water hyacinths in the river were observed to have withered, and numerous dead fish were seen floating on the water surface. The volume of crude oil present was reported to be extensive.

Community leaders expressed their distress over the incident. The Chairman of the Obololi Community Development Committee (CDC), Goodnews Vincent Okoi, stated that the spill occurred on Sunday, February 16, 2025, along a pipeline in the middle of the river. He confirmed that the spill was promptly reported to Shell’s surveillance personnel in the community.

“I immediately contacted the supervisor in charge, Tony Fresh, to inform him of the incident. So far, Shell has only placed booms on the river to limit the spread of the oil, but no measures have been taken to mitigate the negative impact on our people,” Okoi lamented. He stressed that the river is essential for daily activities, including fishing, cooking, and transportation to nearby communities like Egeibiri.

A local resident, Florence Clarkson, voiced concerns about the devastating effect on livelihoods, noting that decomposed fish were already floating on the river’s surface. She appealed to the government to provide clean water and food supplies, urging Shell to compensate the community for their suffering.

In response to the crisis, the Southern Ijaw Local Government activated an old borehole, making water available to the affected residents.

EDEN’s Executive Director, Chima Williams, called on Shell to conduct an immediate Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to assess the damage and initiate cleanup and remediation efforts. He also urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and state agencies such as the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Mineral Resources to fulfill their mandates in ensuring environmental justice for the impacted community.

Furthermore, Williams appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to urgently provide relief materials to Obololi and other affected areas.

The situation continues to unfold, and EDEN remains committed to monitoring the response and advocating for accountability and swift action to restore the environment and livelihoods of those affected.